REPORT 11-1-2012
November 1, 2012th Year of Our Lord
Dear brethren and friends,
By God’s grace with your help we continue reaching out to encourage and aid our neighbors who are in need of a helping hand. Help A Neighbor began in July of 2007 as one means of providing for others what they are unable to provide for themselves in the spirit of Matthew 22:39: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Help A Neighbor exists exclusively for humanitarian and charitable purposes as defined by section 501 (C) 3 of the IRS Code, which is why all donations are legally tax deductible. This is purely a legal means for individuals to extend aid to individuals. We do not accept donations from churches because we do not function as an ecclesiastical organization in any sense.
Thanks to the dedication and skill of Thomas and Jacob Keese, Help A Neighbor has an excellent web site at www.HelpANeighbor.net with reports, pictures, and other information about our efforts.
Because I am acquainted with the Philippines and many Christians there, our main focus has been to provide humanitarian help in the Philippines including daily necessities such as food, medical services, funds for the construction or repair of personal homes and church buildings, disaster relief, burial expenses, songbooks, Bibles, and Bible study materials.
Of the nearly $160,000 donated in 2011, well over one-third was used in efforts to construct church buildings ($64,400). Some of these buildings are constructed using such materials as bamboo, coconut wood, and nippa roofing (dried palm leaves). Others are built with more substantial materials to withstand typhoons such as small concrete blocks, steel trusses, and roofing of galvanized iron sheets.
These buildings are of various sizes. This includes smaller meeting places at ten sites: three on Luzon (Santa Catalina, Isabela; Dumabato, Quirino; and San Agustin, Isabela); one on Negros (Manapla, Negros Occidental); and six on Mindanao (New Matina, Davao City; Riverside, General Santos City; Alegreia, Sarangani; Iligan City, Lanao del Norte; Padada, Davao del Sur; and Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental). Incremental help has been extended for the construction of larger buildings on Luzon (Seaside church, La Union; Cordon, Isabela) and on Mindanao (Lanton, General Santos City).
At the behest of Bobby Holmes and Tom Roberts, we were given the opportunity to help the saints in Bangalore, India purchase property and prepare to start building a meeting house. In 2011 about $50,000 went toward this project. It is not finished and donations are welcomed for this purpose.
About $21,000 was distributed to extend a helping hand for all sorts of family and personal needs, for surgeries and medical expenses, and for such things as burying the dead.
The next largest amount was used for disaster relief, including those who suffered from three big typhoons which hit Luzon in the late summer and fall of 2010. A total of $16,000 was sent to 14 different locations and hundreds of brethren were assisted.
Over $14,000 worth of Bibles and Bible study materials were purchased and distributed to brethren and to visitors. Some Bibles were in local dialects and some in English. The study materials are English. Philippine schools teach English as a second language and many who cannot speak it well can read it.
Various donors provided about $15,000 out of interest in helping with travel expenses for five men who traveled abroad: Ron and David Halbrook to the Philippines, Marc Smith to India, Mike Willis to Germany, and Harry Osborne to the Philippines.
This provides a basic overview of how funds were used in 2011 without detailing all the projects, activities, and needs we have addressed during the year. For instance, when the recession caused the Guardian of Truth Foundation to consolidate its two stores into one at Athens, AL, two U-haul trucks of older, slow-moving, and damaged materials were donated to Help A Neighbor rather than transported to Athens. I rented a large storage unit to protect these materials and am mailing them in large boxes to points scattered all over the Philippines from Luzon to Palawan to Mindoro to the Visayan Islands to Mindanao–about 65 large boxes so far, and plenty more to come! In addition to storage, each box costs about $120 to ship.
All of this work has continued through 2012 until this very moment, and I hope to give an updated report later. At the present I am preparing for my 48th trip to the Philippines. Two brethren going for their first time will join me, and in addition to preaching they will use their special talents to teaching singing classes: Jim Barnett (Artesia, NM) and Steven Saunders (Clarence, MO). First-timers generally have enough challenge raising their travel funds, so I do not ask them to share the heavy load of expenses we encounter for venues and related expenses. Judging from past experiences, I estimate I am currently at least $6,000-$8,000 short for our upcoming trip November 27-December 20. I have learned not to panic because the Lord provides our needs if we do the work He has given us to do.
Singing schools will be held at the Kapitbahayan church of Christ, Navotas, Metro Manila, at the Cebu City church of Christ on Cebu Island, and at Tuguegarao, Cagayan Province. Jim and Steven will then return to the U.S. and I will proceed to General Santos City in southern Mindanao for a week of studies with a group of Pentecostal preachers. Some of them attended a previous class and requested additional studies, to which they are inviting many of their associates.
Here are some ongoing needs as we complete 2012 and look forward to 2013:
1. The upcoming Philippine trip
2. Church buildings in the Philippines and the India project
3. Family & personal needs of Filipinos, including medical needs (an older preacher in Mindanao has needed eye surgery costing $600-$700 for a couple of years)
4. Disaster relief from time to time (brethren were affected by recent flash-flooding in southern Mindanao)
5. Bibles and study materials–including an urgent need for songbooks!!!
Lordy Salunga established and ably edited a gospel paper in the Philippines named Sword & Shield (1999-2009) with financial aid raised by Jim McDonald and then Bill Cavender. It costs $1,500 per quarter to publish it and it is a very effective teaching tool, but it was discontinued for lack of funds. Are there brethren interested in helping Lordy restart Sword & Shield?
Also, Filipinos plead for subscriptions to Truth Magazine ($27 per year). I can provide more information to anyone willing to provide subs.
Occasionally, we do some limited work here in the U.S. when there is a need. If someone knows of a special need and wants to help, notify us and we will consider it.
Thank you for loving hearts and generous hands extended to those in need who help themselves as best they can. Truly, “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35)!
In Christian love, Ron Halbrook
To see good Bible study material, go to: